Found it!
by Shima Ame
Summary: AkuRoku :: Roxas is introduced to a new sort of excitement and torment, battled with constant curiousity over what it is that the stranger looks for, finds, loses, searches for, and assures him that it's in his hands.
1. Chapter 1

1**First attempt at KH fanfiction. I have a bigger soft spot for the Twilight Town kids than I do for the Destiny Island gang, so... expect that. I'll try to sneak in some Riku x Sora for the sake of my beloved lady and others, but it'll mainly be Roxas x Axel. Hints of Roxas x Hayner and Roxas x Seifer are to be expected as well... This might seem to follow the game in some respect, but it doesn't really. They're just normal kids. This is also set a year ahead. In the 2nd game Sora is 15, here he's 16.**

**Enjoy!**

**Demmy: Ame does not own any part of anything in here. Characters, towns, ice cream, etc.

* * *

**

"Roxas!" The sudden splash of sea water in his eyes burned him out of his revere. "Hey, don't get all spacey on us now. Come on, loosen up! We only get one summer a year!" Pence grinned. Roxas managed a grin in return before his friend was playfully pushed aside by Hayner.

"Yeah, come on, loosen up!" The taller patted his shoulder before getting splashed by the squat. Soon the two were having a battle of their own. Roxas was out of their attention again. It wasn't that he was being anti-social, he just wasn't in the mood to play.

His eyes wander to shore where Olette waved to him. She wouldn't swim today for reasons of her own. Maybe he'd go join her, she was alone up there and he was pretty much alone out in the water. Glancing back at the boys where they had taken to wrestling in the water, he started to trudge through the waves and onto shore.

"Hey! Is something wrong? Hayner didn't steal your trunks again, did he?"

"No, no, you just looked lonely." He forced a smile.

"Oh, I'm fine, don't worry. I have the sun to tan in and a book to read." She grinned to reassure him. He didn't respond to that, just made himself comfortable on the blanket next to her. He didn't know her for a tanner, she would rather have been out there playing as well. She wouldn't tan well in a one-piece swimsuit anyway. "Are you hungry? I have the munny with me. There's extra aside from our dinner expenses for you to get an ice cream."

"No thanks, seawater makes me feel sick for a little after I get out."

"Oh, swallow some? It'll pass, you'll live." She laughed, and he laughed along but stopped as he got more water in his face. In front of him stood the other two boys, both holding empty buckets and grinning.

"Hey, no flirting, you know that Olette isn't up for grabs." they joked and Roxas laughed along. Whatever bad feeling that he had was passed.

When she had finished laughing, Olette held up the munny bag. "So, who's up for some pretzels?" The boys all cheered agreement.

* * *

Later that night as the four walked back to the train station, Roxas' eyes started to space over the gentle waves, black at pitch but smooth and sparkling at sapphires. The broken image of a broken moon shimmered along the surface as the water disappeared over the horizon. The image of a shooting star caught his eye on the water and he made a wish, any wish, but the watery star shattered against something foreign moving in the waves.

Roxas stopped waking forwards and rushed to the boardwalk railing, leaning out to look closer. The chattering of his friends stopped as they turned to him. "Roxas?"

"There's a man, a man in the water!" Hayner pointed. "He's walking in fully clothed! It must be a sui-" But Roxas was already gone, over the railing and running over sand to the shoreline.

His sneakers and socks grew heavy, as did his pant legs, as they got wet, but he kept running the best he could against battling waves. Soon Hayner and Pence were following behind while Olette waited onshore with her cell phone. Roxas was still way ahead of them, reaching the man minutes before they could.

The other turned before Roxas even announced his presence, the splashing giving him away. "What is it?" he raised a brow away from his green eyes.

Roxas took a little to catch his breath. "The lifeguard's gone. You shouldn't be in here without her." He cursed himself for sounding so stupid, but what else could he say?

"I'll be fine, I'm just looking for something." The man shook his head. Roxas peered at him closely, but in the dark could only make out a pair of mint green eyes.

"What are you looking for? It's probably either already been washed out to sea or onto shore."

"Yeah, yeah, I know my chances are slim, but..." The green eyes redirected themselves over the ocean, falling quiet.

"Well, if it's that important, I'll help you. But not for too long. Just promise that you'll give up if we can't find it." The eyes looked back down at Roxas in a look of semi-surprise, semi-"what?-are-you-stupid?". He didn't have to respond before Roxas had himself bent over with his hands in the sand. "So what are we looking for?"

"Don't bother, I already found it." And the man started back up to shore, passing Hayner and Pence as they arrived.

"What was his problem." Hayner scoffed, not liking what had gone on. "We come out all this way and he gives us the cold shoulder." The moved back up the shore, meeting with Olette and walking to the train, not seeing the man again on the way out.

* * *

The rest of the summer went by without much excitement, not much thought spared for the stranger. As the four sat on the ledge of the clock tower, watching the orange and pink watercolors of the last summer sun, they savored it.

_'There's only one more summer vacation for us, guys.'_ Hayner sighed as he thought, knowing the end was approaching to such simple pleasures, but not wanting to down the others.

"We'll have to come back and do this all again when we're older." Olette's wistful smile made her eyes seem brighter than usual as she stared out over the buildings.

"We will, I promise." Roxas smiled, head in his hands. Pence nodded in agreement. They sat there quietly until the sky was bright with stars for a moment, before the streetlights turned on and shooed them away.

Hayner stood. "Let's go." making sure nobody fell, he grasped each hand as they stood, ushering them through the small door. Roxas was last, receiving a smile from his friend as he closed the door behind him. The inner workings of the clock creaked and cranked as the hands moved.

_'If I were to stop those gears, maybe we could stay like this forever.'_ Roxas smiled to himself.

* * *

The garbage truck made its loud grunt out front as the sirens of the ambulance sounded, waking the boy from his sleep. As he did every morning, he checked his room just to be secure. His t-shirt was soggy from sweat, the summer heat still lurking into the morning. Groaning as he sat up, Roxas turned so that his face could hit the pillow, cringing as his nose suffered a short bolt of pain. When he ran out of breath, he sat up with a sigh.

"School starts today, I had better get ready..." He whispered, grabbing a "clean" t-shirt from his floor along with a pair of jeans.

The group met in the usual spot near the ally, walking to school under the guise of false laughter. Seifer cut them off at the gates with an interested smirk.

"So, you decided to show up."

"Well, why not? It's the first day of school. What does it matter to you, anyway!" Hayner grit his teeth. "Let us through!"

"Or what, are you trying to pick a fight? We can't have little rascals like you in our school, you'll endanger the other students."

"Hayner, just ignore him! Or else we'll get suspended on our first day! That's what he really wants." Roxas gave the whispered order with urgency.

"Whispering's worse than sin, ya know?"

Olette's glare met the voice, threatening to tear him apart if he spoke again. Needless to say, the words 'ya know' were uttered no more.

"We're going to be late." Pence alerted Hayner. "Whether we fight him or not, we're in trouble."

Hayner looked across the group and gave a discrete motion to jump the fence, slip under the arm, anything to run away from this battle and into class. Each counted to three in their heads before giving the encounter the slip.

Once in the door's, they walked swiftly, not looking behind them to see if they were being followed. The gang wouldn't regroup until fifth period for Language Arts. Roxas was on his own until then, besides having Pence in third period.

Stopping by his locker, he grabbed his science book for first period only to have his door slammed in his face. Glad to feel his nose when he rubbed to make sure it was still there, he looked up with scorn at Seifer.

"You don't have to follow me everywhere."

"Troublemakers like you need constant surveillance." He smirked, hair a mess of fine waves coming from where his hat was forbidden on school grounds.

"Why can't you just leave me alone and let the teachers do their job." The junior sighed, gathering his books off the floor. At this a strong grip was on his arm, pulling him up.

"Because I have a job to do with you." However clean the breath was, it still fell stagnant on Roxas' nostrils from the sneer it came from.

* * *

Roxas awoke in an empty classroom, sore all over. There was a note on the locked door to direct teachers and their classes to another room due to 'renovations,' but Roxas didn't notice it. He only noticed that he couldn't move. It hurt to even open his eyes. That was his punishment for not fighting back in hopes to avoid suspension. It probably wouldn't work anyway.

He tried again to sit up, becoming bored and sleepless. Blue eyes went wide as the muscle in his back tightened. He cried out, covering his mouth with his hands in hopes that nobody would hear him, but once his hands stopped supporting his weight, he fell back onto the hard tile floor. Another loud groan erupted and he was unable to stop it.

A knock came on the door, but the boy couldn't respond. "Hello, is everything ok in here?" Keys jingled and the lock clicked. The door squealed as the man poked his head in. "Hey, kid, are you alright?" The voice was a perfect mix of panic and calm, familiar. Roxas couldn't open his eyes or respond in anyway but short painful breaths.

"Kid?" The hands were carefully over his sides, surprisingly not hurting the bruises. Actually, they felt rather nice, soothing even. "Don't move, I'll get the nurse." The steps retreated.

Roxas had finally returned to a peaceful sleep, possibly because of the soothing effects of a touch, when the nurse arrived with her first aid kit. This time he opened his eyes, looking up at the two faces. They spoke as if he weren't there.

"I heard a noise from this room as I walked by and thought that one of the workers had gotten hurt- speaking of which, where are the workers? Isn't this room under renovations?"

The nurse shook her head. "The one who dumped him here must've been pretty clever. Can you tell us who it was, dear?" Her voice was smooth. Roxas blinked at her, tried to speak but his lungs gave him a shock of pain and he groaned. She frowned.

"Should I call the hospital? He might have hurt a rib." Roxas shifted his gaze to the speaker. Green eyes, those soft green eyes.

"That would be good, Mr. Lea." The nurse dismissed him and Roxas closed his eyes again.

* * *

The next time Roxas awoke, there wasn't a face hovering over him. But he did hear Hayner's soft muttering next to him. Was he... praying?

Nobody in the group claimed to be religious. If anything, they all rebelled against any religion expected of them. Guilt struck. Roxas had worried his friend this much, so much that he would bow his head before things he didn't even trust in.

"Hey." Roxas croaked out, not expecting his voice to be so ragged.

"Roxas!" The boy's head shot up and his face brightened remarkably. He was about to tackle his friend into the bed when he reminded himself of his condition. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"So am I." Letting out a short laugh, the blond smiled. "I didn't want to fight back, hopefully Seifer'll get suspended because of this instead of us."

"What does it matter? You're kicked out of school anyway and you'll have to stay after to make stuff up. It's no different." Hayner sighed. "I just wish... you'd be more careful. You could have beaten him and the consequences would be no different."

"I'm sorry I worried you."

Hayner quickly wiped away a wet spot on his eye and fixed his face up stiff. "Well, you'd better. Once you're out of here, you're getting the beating of a lifetime from me!"

Roxas groaned. "Crap." Then his mind wandered over other things. "Wait, Hayner, do you know who found me?"

"Some guy, why?"

The boy shrugged. "Never mind. Just curious."

"Hey guys! Good to see you awake again." Pence entered, Olette close behind him. "The doctor says it's just a lot of bruises, you'll be fine in no time. Oh, but the x-ray machine made you sterile." The boy laughed, to show that he was joking.

"Crap." Roxas smiled, playing along.

"Here, we brought up some food from the cafeteria downstairs for you. I think this is supposed to be oatmeal... so just ignore it." Olette set the tray on the swivel table next to the bed.

"Right." Roxas nudged the bowl of cloudy water away, almost surprised to see an oat float to the top.

"You're lucky that guy walked by when he did." She commented, fussing over the arrangement of items on his tray.

"Which guy?"

"Oh, the one senior that girls are always fawning over. Some punk or something. His name was Alex or something."

Roxas blinked at the girl, having no clue.

"It's Axel." Pence corrected. "He's in my fourth period class."

Olette rolled her eyes. "Anyway, He's in my third period class, I'll thank him for you during third period. Pence will probably forget to during his fourth period."

"Right, thanks."

"Hey, you kids know it's not nice to talk about people behind there backs, don't you?" The green eyes flickered across the room, meeting Roxas'. "Good to see that you're awake. You had me going for a while there. I was afraid you were dead."

"Th-thanks." Roxas forced himself to sit up, wincing. Hayner's hand was on his back to support him.

"Don't force yourself too hard, kid." Axel came over, pulling a chair up next to Hayner. He suddenly grew quiet, thinking to himself. The kids all watched him nervously. _'Darn it, what do I say now.'_ "Well, nice to see you're healthy. I'll be going now, get well soon, bye."

"Wait!" Roxas grabbed the man's wrist as he stood to leave. "What were you looking for?" _'Crap! Wrong question!'_ He winced, but wouldn't let go.

The man's eyes, no matter how light the color, dropped heavily and away. But his smile was bright, not one of a frozen heart. "It's rude to ask such personal questions."

"Sorry." and he let the hand drop.

* * *

**Ok, it gets repetitive and everything. And I don't like how Axel is turning out... I hope the next chapter is a bit better -sigh- **

**There was a fair scene with someHayner -> Roxas ... but I didn't like it. Too OOC. I'll just leave the little hints of it to how Hayner looks after Roxas rather thanwhat I did have... Seifer-> Roxas will show up somewhere, because it's adorable.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope this one turned out OK. I like the way Axel and Roxas develop in this chapter. I tried at some Seifer x Roxas, but I can't do it in this setting. -sigh- maybe another time. Seifer is too much of a bully for now. Oh, and, Genki, sorry... I kinda stole your song idea from Cinderfella. Which is an AMAZING fic, by the way. All of you Riku x Sora fans go read it! now!**

**Demmy: Ame does not own any part of Kingdom Hearts, MTV 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, Blue October or any of their songs. **

* * *

It was Monday when Roxas was back in school. He gathered his assignments as the day went on and finished them in a short amount of time. It wasn't as much torture as it had seemed while in his hospital bed. Hayner always was the type to exaggerate over make-up work.

In sixth period, the end of the day, Roxas had just finished up his algebra test when the bell rang. He grabbed his bag and fought through the crowd, trying to make it to the exit to meet his friends. When he got there, from as fast as he was going through the door, he stopped completely. A few people shouted and ran into him, giving rude comments, but Roxas didn't hear them.

"Oh, Roxas! Look who's here!" Olette waved then motioned to the other. Next to her stood him, the tall man with the mint green eyes, wild long red hair, and tattooed accents on his cheeks.

"Hey, you're looking spunkier today." The senior waved.

"Axel, right?" The boy's feet started to walk him forward towards the group, trying to hide his awkwardness.

"That's my name, if that's what you're asking. (Got it memorized?)" He grinned. Roxas blushed, either out of embarrassment or confusion. He seemed so different than he did out in the ocean. Friendlier. Softer.

"Yeah... thanks for the help the other day."

"Don't sweat it. I didn't like that Seifer kid anyway."

"R-right."

"If he ever gives you trouble again, let me handle it."

"Right." Roxas nodded, watching him turn and leave down the road.

"Gez, what a jerk. We don't need his help to fight Seifer." Hayner scoffed.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it, Roxas. Just stick by me from now on. I've got ya covered. I don't trust that Axel guy."

"Hayner's right." Chimed Pence. "He's just messing with you in order to get to Seifer. He wants an excuse to get in a fight."

"How can you guys say that? How do you know?" Roxas defended.

"That's what everyone in this school is saying. He's a cold guy, not very friendly." Olette said.

"Oh..."

* * *

At the start of November Pence and Hayner's second period chemistry class went on a trip to the local labs and other chemistry-related sites. Roxas, a biology student, and Olette, who had Chemistry with a more boring teacher during sixth period, were left behind for the day.

The two sat in the usual place playing cards and munching on chips. "Ah, I can't think of anything more to do! I hate Fall!" Roxas surrendered his go-fish cards (They had already gone through every other game they knew. Spit, blackjack, crazy eights).

Olette sat and thought for a while. "Oh! I know!" She jumped up. "At this time of the year they stop cleaning the beaches! There's bound to be plenty of wash-up from high tide! Let's go see what we can find!"

"Oh, but the beach is COLD!" He whined. "Even if we don't go in the water!"

"Well, then, bundle up or go-fish. You're choice, cuz I don't have any red kings."

"Oh, fine..." He sighed, grabbing his windbreaker and another sweatshirt.

"Good!" She grinned, slipping a hoody over her head. "I still have some birthday munny from October, and the train to the beach should be discounted by this time of year anyway. So we're set!"

They got on the train for a cheap price and walked along the beach, picking up polished whole shells. Soon Olette's mood dropped with a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"I wish the others were here..." Her fingers traced the little ridges in the shell she held out of her bag. "It's so nice here."

"Don't worry!" Roxas smiled to reassure her. "I'm sure they're having fun on their own. Here, why don't I go grab us some candy or something. You can sit here and enjoy the shore."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be right back." He groped his pocket to make sure he still had munny left before racing off.

Olette, left alone, watched the sun's reflection break and regroup on the water before her. It wasn't setting yet, but it was low enough to start and the sky was already a blush of orange and pink. Then again, the skies of Twilight Town usually were, that's what made it such a beautiful place to live.

She sighed again, looking over the things she'd collected. "This sea glass would look so pretty in a sun catcher." She smiled to herself. "This way, when winter comes, we'll still have the beach. The sky from the usual place won't look so grey this year." With the waves backing off, she mused herself by placing her findings on a bare space of wet sand.

Roxas was busy running around on the boardwalk. Cursing himself, he knew he should have known that every little shop would be closed by now. He couldn't find a single one open still.

"This sucks... and I promised Olette I'd get her something to eat. Hey!" His eyes had drifted over the glittering water to see the man walking along the water's edge, picking up odds and ends then putting them down in their exact place. The eyes came up to look into his.

"What are you doing here? It's the off season!" Axel crossed his arms across the printed t-shirt on his chest. The bottoms of his tattered jeans were wet and hardly hiding his bare feet. Roxas jumped over the ledge to go meet him.

"Well, we just keep meeting like this, don't we." The man chuckled, scratching the side of his head.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas blinked.

"Hey, didn't I just say that... how long ago? I came here to be alone for a little, and look what happens."

"Oh, sorry... My friend Olette and I came here to look for seashells and sea glass. She was hungry, but..."

"All the shops are closed, you dummy." Axel rolled his eyes. "It's a waste to keep them open if nobody is coming to the beach. Tell her to go back into town if she's hungry. One shell is the same as the next, she's not missing out on anything."

"You guys have art together, don't you?"

"What?"

"Third period you two have art together."

"Oh, right, right." The red-head nodded. "Not that we talk much. The only conversation we've had was her thanking me for saving your butt."

"What about when you were in front of the school?"

"Oh, she just stopped me and told me to wait for you to come out. We didn't talk."

"Oh..."

"Girls are bothersome. And even if she isn't one of the crazy ones, the crazy ones might hurt her if she talks to me in public."

_'Oh yeah... Hayner did say something about girls hanging all over this guy once. Must be pretty popular. If you like the wild and rebellious punk type.'_ Roxas nodded.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go about my own business without being bothered, and enjoy the rest of the evening in PEACE." Axel emphasized.

"O-oh, right, sorry." Roxas blushed, but ran off to find Olette before the other noticed. He changed his line of thought to concentrate on how he would explain to her that he hadn't gotten food without disappointing her.

While he was running with his wandering mind, he failed to register that, among the squishy wash up of seaweed and small shattered shells, came a cracked, dead, and rotting crab. As his heavy step came into it, the broken shell lashed up his foot. Only through the soul of his shoe, but enough to start heavy bleeding and a shout.

"You!" Axel was there in a minute or so, ripping off the shoe and ripped sock, surveying the cut. "Why can't you just stay out of trouble for once!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't notice it! Yowch!" Sea water lapped at the cut as Axel washed it off. "And I thought that my shoe would protect me!"

"Hold still! I need to clean it."

"But that stings... and it's cold."

"Don't be such a baby." He glanced around for a little and grabbed the discarded sock, pressing it over the cut until the bleeding slowed. "There, now come on." Rather mercilessly, Axel hefted Roxas up in his arms. "You know, kid, you really need someone to keep an eye on you."

But Roxas held his head down, to his the blush and shame on his face from the senior. Soon the shout of Olette made him close his eyes, to act as if he wasn't there.

"Roxas! Axel! What happened?" Her footsteps in the sand made a nice thud as she stopped in front of them.

"Hey. This one just keeps getting himself hurt. And, man, he's getting heavy too." Axel grunted.

"Here, lay him over here. Is he asleep?" He heard Olette ask as he felt Axel lay him down limply.

"No, just pretending to be asleep to hide his shame. You can open your eyes now, kid."

Roxas blushed brighter than he thought he could, hating himself for his stupid looks. "I-I stepped on a crab..."

"And it cut through your shoe?" Olette raised a brow.

"Y-yeah. It was a big crab."

She nodded to Axel. "Thanks. I can help Gimpy home now. Sorry to disturb you."

"Don't worry about it, I think the kid enjoys disturbing me." He smiled. "See ya around."

* * *

Christmas came and went gracefully, Roxas getting a new pair of shoes that the group had pooled together to buy. Olette had hung the sea glass up beside a pulled curtain, the sparkling bits being held by the frames that Hayner had placed them in during third period.

Each of the group had a red hat pulled over their heads , laughing at the silliness of it, and rushing to the sandlot to watch the tree go up.

A commotion to the side caught Pence's attention as he turned to see a group of girls gathered around the tall form of, once again, the senior Axel. "Hey, there's that guy again." He pointed.

"His name is Axel." Roxas corrected.

"Yeah, yeah, poor guy." Hayner laughed. "He looks like he needs help."

"Well, let's go help him, then!" Olette piped.

"Alright. Roxas, he seems to like you best, you go help him!" Hayner laughed as he pushed Roxas through the girls, landing the boy with a thump into Axel's chest.

"Sor-"

"Hey! Just in time, kid! Sorry to do this to ya." Axel hugged him, then turned him around, tucking him so that Axel's arm was over his shoulder. "Girls, let us alone for a little, won't you? I need to talk to my friend ALONE for a bit."

Quite a few girls threw Roxas an evil glare before turning and leaving. Axel glanced around, Roxas looking up at him, blushing and confused.

"Ok, they're gone for now... But they'll be following us soon enough." He sighed. "Sorry to drag you into this, but you kinda asked for it."

"Y-yeah." was all that Roxas could peep out.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Axel grabbed his wrist and dragged him off, leaving him waving to his friends with a faint smile on his face to show them that he wasn't being mugged.

Axel had a room in a set of apartments overlooking the sandlot. Once he had the door closed and locked, peephole and keyhole covered, Axel loosened his grip on Roxas' wrist, letting the boy rush to the window. "This is better than the view down there! Why would you leave your room to go down where those girls were?"

"I was looking for something."

"What did you lose this time?" Roxas turned and scrunched his nose in disbelief.

Axel laughed, enjoying the cuteness of the expression. "Don't worry, I found it."

"Axel!" Roxas whined, sitting cross legged on the bed.

"Hey, kid, don't worry about it!" The man sat on the edge of the bed, back to the blonde.

"My name is Roxas."

Axel let himself fall backwards onto the bed and looked up at the boy. "And mine's Axel Lea." ((Pronounce Lea however you want. I don't want to write that in stone because it's fun to play with.))

"I knew that!" Roxas made a face, then laughed along with Axel. When the laughter faded, Axel was left with just a warm smile that reflected itself on Roxas' face. It welcomed the boy to lay out as well, his head next to his companion's and body sprawled in the opposite direction over the edge of the bed.

After a while of warming silence, Axel spoke up. "You know, we're going to miss them light the tree."

"The tree!" Roxas sat up and leaned against the windowsill, Axel close behind and looking over the spikes of his head. The boy's face light up with glee as the tree lit up with small electrical lights.

Axel's large hand pat him on the shoulder. "You know, Roxas, I'm glad you came to my rescue today."

The blue eyes shot up in shock, softening in the warmth of green. "Any time."

"You know, we should hang out more often, just me and you. Right here, though, so the crazy girls don't get you."

"Oh no..." Roxas groaned. "They're going to HATE me just for tonight!"

"Oh, right..." Axel sighed. "Well, then, stick with your bunch of friends for a while. But come visit me when you can, ok?" He smiled.

"Right." Roxas grinned back before Axel closed the door and he walked away.

* * *

Roxas hid behind Hayner when he could, or Pence or Olette, or he just stayed ducked and silent in the crowds when school started again. The girls didn't give him as much trouble as he thought they would, but after a few days Seifer picked up on his attempted slyness.

"What are you hiding from, Roxas?" He raised a brow when he intercepted the group's walk home.

"It's none of your business!" Hayner hissed.

"Come on, did you get in trouble again?"

"He didn't do anything!" Olette squeaked. Roxas stayed quiet.

Seifer shook his head. "You just keep inspiring angry from me, don't you." A smile, a smirk. "Well, then, we'll just have to become the best of friends, won't we."

"Just go!" The other leader stepped between them, defensive.

"Settle down, I'm serious. But, if you insist." He shrugged and stalked off.

After he was gone, leaving the four standing there, Roxas shook his head. "Go home without me, I need to go somewhere."

"Bu-" Hayner tried to protest.

"Don't worry!" Came the reassuring smile before he rushed off along a back road towards the sandlot, around where Seifer had exited. "I'll be absolutely fine." He whispered, nodding in agreement to himself. "I trust you on that," came his own reply.

He knocked, timidly at first, but grew impatient and shouted through the door. "Hey, open up! It's me!" He heard the lock click before the door opened up to reveal the face that he had come for.

"Hey, Roxas, good to see you again so soon. We need to get you a key made so that I don't have to get up." Axel laughed lightly.

"Really!" The boy grinned like a child.

"Sure." He ruffed his hair with one of his large hands, smiling back. "You're welcome here anytime, you know. If you have a bad dream you could crawl into bed next to me..." His voice and eyes drifted behind him.

Roxas made a scoff-related noise and pushed Axel lightly. _'It's funny...' _he thought _'we're hardly friends and I feel like I've known him forever.' _He laughed again as Axel made a face before turning back and jumping over the back of his sofa. _'That we're this close already...'_

"Well, come on! You're missing my favorite show!"

_'...is really great.'_ Roxas grinned, running around the sofa and plunking down next to his friend. "What are we watching?"

"MTV6, the MTV that plays good music videos... for now."

"Oh." Roxas pretended to understand and listened to the song. The song currently playing was Blue October's "A Quiet Mind."

Give me a quiet mind and I...  
I love you

"So... you like these guys?"

"Yeah, they're my favorites." Axel smiled down at his little pal. "Are you hungry? I have some ramon I could heat up quick."

You give me a quiet mind and I...  
I love you  
Until the end

"No thanks." He smiled back. "I'm still full from lunch."

"Alright, then I hope you don't mind if I get something for myself."

"No, it's fine."

Give me strength to be kind... To combine  
All the good things in life that were so hard to find  
But I have and I won't let them go like I do with my friends

"Alright, I'll be right back." The man winked, holding up a finger, before disappearing into the kitchen.

Still bearing voices... From front... From behind  
They're the reasons I choose... when to live... How to die

Roxas sighed and waited, listening to the 'ker-plunk' of the noodle brick into the bowl of water. To the click of the microwave door, the beeping of numbers being entered, and the gentle hum for a while.

When to cast... when to reel  
When to buy... when to steal  
When to fiend for the friends that taught me  
Being inappropriate will...

After the microwave beeped and the door clicked open, clinking of the metal fork mixing the flavor, the footsteps started back into the room.

"Here we go, food." Axel smiled, sitting back down next to Roxas. "Sure you don't want some of mine?"

"Don't worry." He smiled back.

"Alright, if you say so."

Give me a quiet mind and I...  
I love you  
You give me a quiet mind and I...  
I love you  
Till the end


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm trying for a chapter a day. I don't know how long this'll last, but... oh well. Just so you know, Roxas does not lose his viginity here. Relax. It's only right that everyone starts out as 'just friends.' I don't like unrealistic 'love-at-first-sight's.**

**Demmy: ame does not own this and that the other thing, blah blah blah...**

**Ame: Hey, can I borrow your sitar? -sparkle-**

**Demmy: ... no.**

* * *

When the light, gentle filtering through curtains, harsh burning through eyelids, reached his face he woke, groggy. His arms were wrapped around the corner of the pillow and his eyes overlooked the overhang hidden deep in snow. He swung his legs out and fumbled over to close the curtains, the light off the snow blinding.

"Up already... it's a snow day, go back to sleep... you're keeping me up." The man whined as the boy jumped at his voice.

"Gez, Axel, when did YOU get to bed?" Roxas crossed his arms.

"A couple hours after you did. What does it matter... if you couldn't get home last night, then we're not going to school today. Now be quiet so that I can sleep."

"Fine." Roxas quickly adjusted his collar before walking into the kitchen and hounding for food in a careful, quiet way. "As if his MTV didn't bother my sleep." He scoffed. Sitting down with his small bowl of Cheerios, he sighed. "I bet Hayner and the others are worried sick."

"Well, then, we'll just have to tell them that they have nothing to worry about. You're still alive and healthy." Axel stumbled in, sitting down heavily in another metal frame chair. "You're not getting out of here until passed noon, when the snow is melted, but not icey yet."

"Right." Roxas nodded.

"When the shops are opened again, we'll see about having a key made for you. It's nice to have casual company instead of so-called lovers. Stupid girls."

Roxas shook his head and laughed, cleaning his bowl before setting it back into the pile. The two joked around and played cards, talked, and watched TV until Axel walked, almost solemnly to the window and announced that Roxas should leave while he could. The boy nodded and gathered his shoes onto his feet before heading to the door. Two false smiles of farewell were exchanged before the door closed. Roxas didn't hear the lock click until he opened the door at the end of the hall.

* * *

Back at the usual place, Hayner was whipping Pence at darts. Not that he was doing too good himself, he was distracted. Olette was fidgeting while keeping score. Everyone was keeping silent.

Then the door open.

"Roxas!" Hayner was the first to the door, completely bowling the boy over. "Where were you!"

"Hey, Roxas!" Pence waved, Olette standing attentively behind him, eyes sparkling.

"You had us so worried!" Hayner shouted after they had stood up, shaking Roxas by his thin little shoulders. "What were you thinking!"

"Sorry... I had an... appointment." He averted his eyes, not really wanting to tell them about Axel. Last time they caught him talking to Seifer alone, under innocent circumstances I assure you, they had a fit of jealousy.

"We were so worried..." Olette touched Hayner's shoulder to tell him to calm down. "We're just glad to see you're alright." Her smile was kind as ever and helped Roxas to relax.

"They just said that I need to go for tutoring..." Roxas made up, "so I might need to go more often. Sorry guys."

"Hey, no problem, we could tutor you just fine!" Pence pointed out.

"N-no, sorry, they want to pick the tutor out themselves... the school, that it."

Hayner raised an eyebrow, noticing many little plot holes in the lie along with many little marks on Roxas' face that indicated his nervousness in telling it, but didn't say anything about it. "Come on, let's play a round of darts. Pence was getting to be a boring opponent anyway."

"Hey!" The squat boy protested and they all laughed, sitting back in the icey cold to enjoy the rest of the day before going home.

Soon enough, Roxas was in his own bed, shivering for a while before his sheets warmed up. With the window right by him, he could stare up at the sky with ease. "We should have school tomorrow." He told himself, "and everything will go just fine." With that warm smile on his face, he closed his eyes and slept.

* * *

The next day he was quick with his chat in the hallway before first period begun. He told Hayner and the others that he had homework to do yet before hurrying off with his biology book to meet with Axel for a short amount of time.

It a was brief, inconspicuous, no-words exchange. An offered hand and a dropped key. Roxas hid the smile until he reached his class, when it burst out of him with glee. He held the tiny metal object in his palm, reflecting the light off of it until the last bell rang before class. Seifer looked at the situation oddly, but decided to ignore it.

The day passed in a merry light, Roxas humming every Blue October song he could think of just to feel closer to his new friend. As much as he enjoyed his little group, it was nice to have something new in his life. Something exciting.

"Once so hard to speak, now so easy to play around. Catching your eye you know-"

"Hey, Roxas, what are you mumbling?" Olette leaned over towards him during Language Arts.

"Oh, it's a song I heard." He grinned.

* * *

The two met again a few times before the weather got too harsh to leave the house. When it let up, Roxas stayed away for a while. He felt that he owed his own loyal friends some more time, especially after lying to them.

Axel, however, remained recluse. He didn't get along with that many people. He didn't really want to try. Most people were just idiots of some sort or another. Come to think of it, even Roxas was an idiot- that smiling, bumbling idiot- but he was different.

The thought made Axel smile fondly. Smiling, laughing, in that child-like manner. He was just so different, like a little ray of light. But the light was blocked out. And though he had lived without it for most of his life, having had it even for that short while and losing it for even a little hurt.

It was almost divine when the locked door clicked open, arousing the man from his depressed slump on the sofa. "Roxas!" His mint green eyes smiled.

"What, didn't think I'd come back?" The boy grinned back.

Axel hardly lost time in falling over the back of the sofa and scampering up to greet his guest. "But you were gone for so long!"

"Sorry, I'm ok, really... for now." He gave a nervous chuckle before walking to the sofa with his friend. His eyes surveyed the mess of the room. "What have you been DOING without me?"

Axel smiled almost wickedly. "Looking for something."

"Let me guess, you found it?"

"Not yet, but I think I will soon enough."

"Huh?" Roxas jumped as Axel's face came closer.

"Could you be the one that's not afraid to look me in the eyes?"

"What are you talking about?" Laughed Roxas nervously.

Axel shook his head. "Nothing, just gibberish." And with that he backed off.

Roxas came back a few days after, smiling broadly while carrying some grocery bags.

"What are you, my wife now?" Axel smiled.

"Well, you're out of everything and you're growing bone thin. You need to eat." The boy poked a finger into the man's chest and smiled.

_'Gah... that smile...' _Axel rolled his eyes. _'That silly child-like smile...'_

"And we have some new bread, yours was growing more than mold... Axel? Are you alright! Hey!" Roxas dived to catch the man as he fainted. "How long have you been out of food, you idiot!" He did his best to drag the weight through the mess and onto the bed. The sheets were pulled around Axel's shoulders.

"Kid?" Axel sat up slightly after a while. "Hey, why are you crying?" His strong arms came around the boy as he tried to brush the tears away foolishly. "It's ok." Dragging him down onto the bed with him, Axel sighed half-happily. Roxas remained silent out of embarrassment. "See?"

Two soft hands pawed at the front of his chest until they found a suitable grip to hide their face in. "I should have come sooner. I should have checked your food last time."

"Hey, hey, it's ok. Shhh..." He stroked the blond hair affectionately. "I'm here. I'm here with you now, see? It's not your fault."

"Axel..."

The boys continued to hang out, their friendship strengthening. Axel's need for that childish smile, Roxas' need for that watchful eye, they grew. But always in secret, Roxas making sure he met up with his friends whenever he could, making sure he kept up with his school work.

As Spring drew closer, however, Axel grew quieter and the TV louder. Roxas would sometimes, rather timidly, ask what was wrong, but Axel would just smile with a soft chuckle, shake his head and respond: "I found it."

* * *

Roxas held his 17th birthday in April.

There was a party held at the usual place with a cheap cake and a few gifts of small bits of money. They laughed and played a few games, heading around town. They jumped on the tram car and waved to people. They crafted Roxas a crown made out of anything they could find; flowers, wire, paper.

Hayner held him on his shoulder and paraded the boy through the sandlot, which made even Seifer chuckle and shake his head.

"Here, let me take him." He stretched out two strong hands and lifted Roxas up onto his own shoulder to sit. Hayner tried to make a protest, but couldn't. "Hail the birthday king!" Seifer laughed, holding up a triumphant fist.

Fuu glared at Seifer in his stupidity while Rai laughed along. Vivi was dancing around, cheering. Olette and Pence were picking fun at Hayner who was still scowling.

Roxas' blue eyes were smiling on everyone until movement caught the corner of his eye. His startled face looked up to see Axel shaking his head with a smile down at him. He waved up to him and grinned, adjusting his crown before looking back down at his friends and rivals.

"Well, now, isn't this romantic." Seifer teased, hefting the birthday boy up and spinning him in the air before setting him down. Roxas stumbled a bit until the dizziness faded. Now Seifer had his arm around the boy, giving a speech about the great king, giving at least one embarrassing story from each year of his life.

Roxas blushed, partially from anger, but kept his 'royal' smile as his 'subjects' watched him on stage from below.

"And, now, who would like to challenge the king as proof of his rights to this day?" Seifer looked around, ignoring Vivi and Rai's hands. "Nobody? Well then, I'll just have to fight him myself." He grinned, snatching up his 'blade' of blue foam, tossing one to Roxas. "Let's go."

Roxas made a face, but was quick on defense. Dodging and jumping as Seifer came at him, the king made a few swift hits to his opponent's side. Once Seifer was off balance, he beat him to keep him like that until the timer sounded.

"And the king wins!" Hayner declared, jumping up and lifting Roxas onto his shoulder, grinning to have him back.

"Hail the king!" Olette squeaked, jumping up as well, followed by Pence.

Seifer chuckled from where his panting could be heard in unison with Roxas'. "Hail... the king."

Roxas glanced back up at Axel's window where he received a pleased smile and a silent applause. Tanned lips mouthed 'hail the king' with a grin.

* * *

The first beach outing of the year was held in May.

The group took the train and arrived, stripping their clothes down to their suits. "Feels nice to be here again..." Came the feminine sigh. Everyone agreed.

The wind, the water, the sand, everything was still freezing, but when did that stop crazy teenagers? They shivered and eventually stopped coming out of the water where the wind could hit them. Roxas was skiddish whenever his foot hit something hard, shouting 'crab!' in alarm, which made the others laugh.

When they dried off and changed into less sandy clothes, their sandals hit the boardwalk in excitement. They gathered up shells, rings, and plenty of junk food. Roxas made sure to get an extra ring for his older closed-up friend.

They left as the winds got colder, with high hopes for the coming summer.

* * *

**This chapter was originally 2 pages... then I went into detail on the birthday and beach trips at the beginning of the next chapter and... well... you'll see. They didn't fit the mood of the next chapter. You might want to look up these song: "calling you" and "Hate me" on YouTube. Shaexblades made an amazing AkuRoku video for "Calling You."**


	4. Chapter 4

**I thought and rethought this one so many times over... Oh, and, last chapter's end note, that was acually for this chapter (oops) well, the part about the songs at least. This chapter feels better when you're listening to "Hate me," at least.**

**Demmy: Hate me and Calling you belong to Blue October. Kingdom hearts and all of it's characters do NOT belong to Xemnas... they belong to Square and Disney.**

* * *

Graduation was in June.

The apartment was packed up when Roxas arrived, not having to unlock the door.

"Axel? Hey, Axel, where are you!" His blue eyes searched on tiptoe over the boxes to see the head of red locks across the room, hunched over. "Axel?"

"Hey, you made it." came the saddened laugh. "I was afraid that you wouldn't." _There's a burning in my pride, a nervous bleeding in my brain_ "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I was afraid you'd worry about me." his smile was that sad faked one. No, not completely faked. There was happiness in remembering, Roxas cared. _An ounce of peace is all I want for you._

"But.. What are you doing? You always said that you'd never leave here, no matter what!" _There's something I can't quite explain _"That you care- I'll miss you, though..." The blond stuttered, unable to find the right words."Yo- you can't just LEAVE me here, can you?" _I'm so in love with you._

Axel frowned, rather shamefully. _And will you never say that you love me just to put it in my face?_ "Things came up, there's something I have to do. But I'll be back." He smiled. "You can't keep me away for too long. Roxas..." His mint eyes pleaded. "Hey, it'll be ok! It's just for a little."

"But it's long enough for you to move out!" He pouted.

_'Come on, Roxas, no clue faces now, please...'_ Axel grit his teeth to keep his resolve. "I can't keep this apartment when I'm out of town. Listen, it'll only take a month or two, then I'll be back!"

"But how will we stay in touch?" _So expect me to be calling you to see if you're okay when I'm not around. Asking if you love me._ "What if you meet a cute girl and decide never to come back?"

Axel scoffed. "Girls are crazy. Especially the cute ones. They think they can get anything they want. Don't worry so much." Regret bit his stomach. _Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you._ "I told you that before, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you've told me that girls are crazy."

"No... not that." His mint eyes hit the floor.

"Then what?"

Axel choked on his laugh. "It's... I'll just be waiting to see you again." _You never doubted my warped opinions._ "Stay cute until then, ok?"

Roxas shook his head out of stubbornness. "But where are you going, and don't change the subject!" He felt his own throat and chest grow heavy. "Where are you going that's more important than..."

"Don't worry, you have your group of friends. You seem happy enough with them."

"B-but!" _I thought that the world had lost it's sway. _"They're not the same! I've known them for so long... they're still my best friends, but..." _Then I fell in love with you, and you took that away. _"This is different than that." _You take away the old, show me the new. And I feel like I can fly when I stand next to you._

"You're so spoiled." Axel laughed.

The boy flinched, knowing it was true. "It's just that-"

The smile hushed him. "I know what you're talking about. Just trust me, it'll be ok." Axel stepped across the room, over boxes, and took Roxas in his arms. "Summer always goes by fast, and I'll be back."

"You still didn't tell me where you're going. You changed the subject... again."

"I know, I'm sly like that." He nuzzled the boy's hair lovingly. "Hey, hey, don't cry..." He whispered.

Roxas clutched the front of his shirt and shook his head, fighting when Axel took his chin and tilted it up.

"You're making this harder than it has to be." There was a bit of badly hidden shock in the green eyes as he gazed down. "And with a sad heart I say bye to you and wave. Kicking shadows on the street for every mistake that I had made. And like a baby boy I never was a man, until I saw your blue eyes cry and I held your face in my hand. And then I fell down yelling 'Make it go away!' Just make a smile come back and shine just like it used to be. And then you whispered..."

"How can you do this to me?" Roxas finished, feeling the bond.

Axel nodded. "See, we're starting to finish each other's sentences. Another good reason for me to go for a while." He smirked. "I... have some thinking to do. And I need to do it alone. I just need to figure something out. To find something."

"And you still won't tell me what it is." His smallish companion pouted.

Axel leaned forward, so that the tip of his nose rested on the tip of Roxas'. "That's because I don't know yet, that's why I'm going to find it."

"Well, find it fast."

They savored the night together, warm against one another. Axel caught in the crisp childish eyes, Roxas caught in strong gentle arms. The boys held each other tightly, as if they refused to ever let go.

If you're sleeping are you dreaming  
If your dreaming are you dreaming of me?

When Roxas awoke shivering, sore, and sleep-seeking the next morning, he was alone.

* * *

**In case nobody has notice, Blue October is supposed to be kinda symbollic of their 'relationship.' Oh, and, Roxas kinda just lost his viginity... Yeah. I scrambled the two earlier mentioned songs up in this chapter. The two songs share the same last verse almost exactly. Read the lyrics on to see what I mean. I can't find that version on the music videos...**


	5. Chapter 5

**I've been running into writer's block... the few times i did get ideas I was drugged up on sleeping meds and fumbled down the stairs...so... my appologies. The next update will probably be late as well. Penna also needs updated once I think of a good idea for it... I just hope my fangirls won't jump me and eat me, but review instead. please.

* * *

**

The summer sun was high. The water finally warm enough to support life was lapping at Roxas' shins. He sighed, watching Hayner, Olette, and Pence splash around a few yards out.

"Roxas!"

It just didn't seem right... Axel was the type... to know what he wanted and to take it. Since when did he ever have to think things over? And without Roxas... it just didn't make sense.

"Roxas!" The group called again, this time catching his attention.

"Oh, right! I'll be right there!" He forced a smile and ran towards them, battling off the tide.

As summer passed and the days grew shorter, so did Roxas' memory. He became convinced that Axel had been faking him the whole time. Suspicious of some other in another place. Hurt by all of the smiles that were assumed fake, all of the laughs, jokes, and pats on the back. Angry that he was played, used, as easy relief in so-called passion. In this way, he grew to hate Axel and everything attached to him.

The windows of the sandlot glared down at him with green-curtained eyes. The television attempted to seduce him with calming love songs sung from tender lips. The clouds of the sunset mocked him with fine red streaks and curls. Everything, it seemed reflected his pain.

It didn't take much to pick up on the boy's spoiled mood.

"Hey, Roxas, relax." Hayner approached him one time. "This is our last summer together. After this... once we're graduated... who knows where we'll go. Let's enjoy this while we can."

He stared into his friends brown eyes, loose bleached hair falling before them in small clumps. His hard expression softened, sapphire eyes growing kinder. "I know... but that's what makes it hard." His hand came up and rubbed at the start of a tear. "What the heck am I going to do once I'm out of here?"

"Cheer up." The elder smiled. "You can come stay with me if you're homeless."

"Yeah, and how are YOU going to make a living?" Roxas' eyes gained a sly look. "By delivering mail and leeching off of me for the struggle prize every year?

Hayner wrinkled his nose. "Hey! I plan on winning the lottery. With my luck I could do it. Never have to work a day if I ration it right."

"What makes you think you're so lucky?"

Chocolate eyes studied his friend's face down the bridge of his nose. "Because," he said, "I have you... three." And he smiled, turning back and heading behind the faded curtain.

"At least somebody thinks so." Roxas sighed, but then broke into a smile himself. "Hey, Hayner! Wait up!"

The kids would laugh. They would joke. They would wipe away every memory of Roxas' lover. All the loneliness, sorry, anger. Every memory of corn chips, popcorn, and MTV. Each laugh, smile, touch of warmth, and glance full of stars, forgotten.

Forgotten enough that Roxas could move on. The girl from the accessory shop down the street had had eyes for Roxas since she opened up and met him. The two made an adorable couple. The sweet and skiddish, yet responsible girl with the naive and rash Roxas.

But with school looming ahead, that broke. It was for the better anyway, as Roxas had missed his friends.

Seifer had stopped picking on Roxas. And, though he and Hayner still quarreled, he had the becomings of a close friend about him.

There was a fireworks display on the last day of summer that year. The last summer that the teens would ever enjoy.

Roxas sat between Seifer and Hayner on their clock tower. Pence was on Hayner's right with Olette next to him. They were all smiling, grinning, enjoying company and lights.

"Hey, Roxas." Seifer leaned over, eyes still ahead on the sky.

"Yeah?"

"When you watch fireworks, what do you look at?"

"What do you mean?"

Seifer shook his head. "I like to watch the smoke. Not many people notice it, but to me it's more interesting than the burst. Look at how it moves and reflects the bursts, huh?"

"I like the embers."

"Humm?"

"Watch, when one goes off, little pieces of ember, still glowing red, fall down. They look kinda like stars."

"Oh." The elder nodded with a smile. "I get it." After a while of silence the man spoke again. "Hey, after we're graduated, after this year, we'll have to get together like this again."

Roxas nodded and smile. "Right."

The finale sounded and they stayed attentive until the last boom echoed behind them. Their hands burst through with approval before Hayner carefully made sure that each of them, with the exception of Seifer, got down safely. Hayner let the outcast make his own safe was down. And the group started back to the usual place before dispersing to their homes. Roxas was slightly behind them, watching them all blissfully.

"You know what MY favorite part about fireworks is?" Two strong arms wound around the boy's waist. "It means I'm home."

Roxas' back went ridged, his eyes watering in hate, in love, in anger and sorrow. "Get off of me." He scoffed coldly, taking an arm to break away the others. As he jogged to catch up to the others he could feel mint green eyes in the back of his head, across his shoulder. Staring in confusion, in disappointment, in sorrow.

Roxas fell asleep in a state of mixed emotions. His friends had cheered him up, but his anger had pulled him down.

The next day, the first day of school. New classes, new classmates and teachers. Roxas had a few classes with his friends. He wasn't really alone in any of his classes this year, luckily. The day was a rattling hour after hour drill of the same rules repeated period after period.

Soon enough the bell rang out. The group hadn't chosen a new gathering place yet, they'd save that for another day. For today they were stacked with new books and just wanted to go home.

Roxas started along the sidewalk, hands on his shoulders to help hold up his backpack. A sleek black car pulled up beside him, creeping along with him as the driver rolled down the window. He pretended he didn't notice.

"Roxas, come on, you're not still mad are you? I'm back now, I promise I'll make it up to you, just let me-"

"Shut up!" The blue eyes snapped. "What do you want from me! Another free fuck! I'm still in high school, you have bigger and better things ahead of you than a school boy, don't you! Buzz off and leave me alone, pervert!"

Axel was held in a startled stare. Soon his head drooped and he smiled sadly to himself. "I-I thought that I meant more to you than that, Rox." He pulled into a driveway, blocking the sidewalk. "Come on, give me a chance to prove myself."

Roxas stubbornly walked around the back of the car, being pulled back as Axel exited and grabbed his arm.

"Please?"

"Hey! You!" Both heads shot up to see Seifer running towards them, sharply wedging himself between them. He glare up at Axel sternly. "What's he doing, Roxas? You know, I won't allow trouble makers in this town. Especially around you."

"Oh, I see how it is." Axel gave a sad smirk. "You really have forgotten all about me now, haven't you. Alright, I'll go." The man sat back into his car. "But I won't give up on you, Roxas." He whispered in a somber way to the green eyes in his review mirror. "You mean to much to me."


	6. Chapter 6

**-is dead- Sorry guys! Thank you SOOOO much for the bugging, though! Don't worry, I'm not an important person xD don't be afraid to PM me to egg me on about updates. It makes me happy.**

**I'm acually back to SO3 at the moment, so I'll be dragging me feet with this... sorry. -stares at scene for a while before typing-

* * *

**

Axel was sitting in his new apartment, fiddling a little figurine in his hand. It had been one of the odd objects Roxas had found in the surf one time. That was a long time ago... and now the little porcelain face was only worth being smashed against the wall.

It was obvious now, Axel knew, that last summer had only been one of those wild teenage flings. And he thought he had found his answer while he was away. No, he had found it upon his return.

Where had he gone? When he stepped on that gas pedal he had driven so far away, made the gap so wide, that he could think clearly. When someone can physically touch someone, see them, the heart can be tricked into loving. But with that much space for that much time, the heart's vision clears away from the physical, deciding love for itself.

And it was decided.

Axel's heart still sought the boy from that dream, that summer rendevous. But that boy couldn't care less.

That smile over there, the one framed in mahogany stained maple, was reserved. No, not even that. It was dead. It was there, pierced by shattered glass next to the porcelain figure.

As he finished unpacking the last of the cardboard boxes-- well... they weren't the last, but it was the last that he had motivation left to open-- the shattered pile grew. Seashells, photos, little trinkets, all forming a pile against the wall.

Many would have looked at that pile and contemplated ways to use the shards to end the pain they've caused, but the man could only glance at it in disgust and with a new fever to win his last summer vacation back.

And to do that, he'd have to do everything else along with it. No matter what.

A few days later, Roxas had been caught running late to finish something in his last period. The rest of his group had already run off ahead of him, not bothering to wait. They knew where to meet him when he was done.

His sneakers hitting the steps at sometimes awkward angles, he was carelessly making his way off the grounds when his face was halted by the smell of pollen. With a little gasp, that caused a sneeze, he stumbled back.

"S-sorry sir!" A young boy with a denim hat brought the flowers back to his little chest. "Th-there, you see, it's just! There was this man over there! And he gave me 500 munny to give you these flowers!"

Roxas gave a little smile and took them when they were offered again. "What man?" He tried to sound pleasant.

"The one right-!" The boy turned and pointed to a spot on the low wall surrounding a tree and garden. "Where'd he go?"

"It's alright, here." Roxas took the change from his lunch out of his pocket and handed it to the boy. It wasn't much, 35 munny, but it was enough to delight a child. The boy gave a small hurried bow and scampered off, leaving Roxas with his flowers.

With a deep sigh, he knew who they were from. His slim fingers picked around the stems, as if to try to find the hidden needle that would prick him with some sedative. He found none, but he did find a small hand-written note.

'Sunset Hill. I'll wait forever, if I have to.'

With another heavy sigh, Roxas' blue eyes trailed up, looking at the outline of the hill on the horizon.

He would go, he knew that, despite his anger. And the fool really would wait forever. He tended to be a little eccentric. Roxas couldn't leave him up there alone, could he?

His heart gave a hard jerk then felt leaden, his whole being seeming to droop. The sneakers hit the pavement, but they weren't his. They couldn't be his because he was floating in some depths, numb.

Green eyes leapt up excitedly to meet him, then went into worry at the look of his hollowness.

"Roxas! Are you ok? You don't look so well." Two hands supported the boy who's brow furrowed and shoulders jerked away.

"Why- why did you leave? How can you expect to just come back now?" His foundation recovered, eyes just as venomous as his tongue.

"How can I explain myself, Roxas? I just... had to clear my head, to see if you'd go away. But you didn't. What can I say besides I'm sorry?"

"Well, it's going to take more than that to restore even our friendship." Roxas couldn't help but give a little smirk with a raised eyebrow.

* * *

**up to here it's been mostly a background, I guess, so you know what's going on. I wanted this fic to be fast-paced and modern, something other than my sappy poetic "Penna". So now Axel is up to the test to win Roxas back! Waha! **


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